Note Card Set No. 2

My card making days have been few & far between lately, but this past weekend I was able to pump out this notecard set using a bunch of Echo Park scraps I had kickin' around. 

All these patterned papers & stickers are from Echo Park's Country Drive, Little Girl, Splash, Summer Days collections. 

Nut Jar Upcycle

Can you guess this little container's humble beginnings? 

Well, you likely already have because of the name of this post. :)

But in case you skimmed over that part & really are wondering, it all started with a little almond jar like this.

After we ate the yummy almonds, I kept the little jar thinking it was a great size. But what to do with it???

I finally just started playing, not really having the whole vision when I started. 

Here's what I did:

1. Paint the lid black with craft paint.

2. Cut some patterned scrapbook paper to fit the jar. 

3. Apply the paper with Mod Podge.

4, 5, 6. One by one, layer the tabs on the bottom of the jar, using Mod Podge on top of each one. 

7. Apply a layer of Mod Podge over the entire paper surface. Let dry.

8. I learned how to make rolled paper flowers using this tutorial. I made 3 bigger ones & 3 smaller ones. Apply with hot glue. 

Now to figure out what to do with it now that it's all prettied up... any ideas? 

I'm thinking it would be great as gift packaging with a sweet little gift inside (maybe jewelry?).

Please share your ideas as to what you think I should do with it! :)

Enjoy your day!

I link up to these great parties! 

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10 Spray Paint Ideas!

Now that it's March I'm crossing my fingers for the weather to get a bit warmer soon so I can get out & SPRAY PAINT!! Not that it's all that cold (we've had a surprisingly mild winter), but just cold enough to deter me from getting to some of the spray paint makeovers I would love to tackle. After spray painting 1 coat on my lamp revamp in my basement, I've learned my lesson. Definitely waiting for warmer days out in the fresh air...

So for now, I'm just compiling lots of inspiring ideas to use when the warmer weather appears. :)

Heehee, isn't this printable too funny? Click here for source.

Look at these old lamps spray painted in fun colours!

via Mod Podge Rocks!

I know my friend, Sarah is going to love this chandelier! And purple too!

via Vintage Revivals

Spray paint an old shutter & use it as a note board.

via Better Homes & Gardens

How lovely & easy is this?! Glass vases with rubber bands & then spray painted. 

Remove the rubber bands when dry & you have a cool design!

via Pinterest (I couldn't seem to find the original post this photo belonged to. If it's yours, please let me know!)

This is just a normal chair painted in such a cheery colour!

via Domestically Speaking

I love these fabulous wooden crates painted & used as shelves! Nifty & thrifty!

via Be Different Act Normal

I'm in the market for a new pepper mill since ours broke. Now I'm thinking of just finding a thrifty one & painting it!

via Kotori

This is pure happiness. Take old kitchy finds (from your basement or a thrift store) & spray paint them.

Display with pride.

via Craft

Taking ordinary items like glass bottles & spray painting them to help you beautify your home is pretty wonderful.

via The Colorful Living Project

More thrifty finds spray painted in gorgeous, trendy colours! 

via Tattered & Inked

Are you feeling inspired yet? Eeeee! I am just itching to get out my spray paint! 

If this is not enough, check out some of my previous spray painted projects. 

Do you have any painting projects in the plans for this weekend? 

Whatever you have planned, have a great one. See you next week!

Enjoy your day!

Schmoo Torte

Happy leap day! Too bad having an extra day on the calendar doesn't actually mean having extra time.

To celebrate this special day :), indulge in this yummy dessert... one of our favourites, the Schmoo Torte.

This is a light concoction of angel food cake, whipped cream, caramel, & pecans. It's like a caramel cloud.

Schmoo Torte

sauce:

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

 In medium saucepan, over medium-low heat, mix together all sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Boil 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Cool. Refrigerate until cold.

cake:

1 box Angel food cake mix

1 cup cold water or amount that cake mix says

1 cup finely chopped pecans

 Mix according to package directions. Gently fold in pecans. Bake according to package directions or at 350º for 40-50 minutes, until top is lightly browned & cracks feel very dry & not sticky. Turn upside down. Cool completely, at least 2 hours.

filling:

3 cups whipping cream

1/3 cup icing sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

 Whip cream. Add icing sugar & vanilla. Continue beating until soft peaks form. 

Putting it all together:

  Cut cake into 3 equal layers. 

Spread 1/4 of caramel sauce on bottom layer.

Top with 1 cup of whipped cream. 

Repeat the layers - cake, sauce, cream. Top & ice cake with remaining cream. Drizzle remaining caramel over the top. Decorate with pecans, if desired.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

And here's the recipe again all together...

Schmoo Torte

sauce:

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

 In medium saucepan, over medium-low heat, mix together all sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Boil 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Cool. Refrigerate until cold.

cake:

1 box Angel food cake mix

1 cup cold water or amount that cake mix says

1 cup finely chopped pecans

 Mix according to package directions. Gently fold in pecans. Bake according to package directions or at 350º for 40-50 minutes, until top is lightly browned & cracks feel very dry & not sticky. Turn upside down. Cool completely, at least 2 hours.

filling:

3 cups whipping cream

1/3 cup icing sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

 Whip cream. Add icing sugar & vanilla. Continue beating until soft peaks form. 

Putting it all together:

 Cut cake into 3 equal layers. Spread 1/4 of caramel sauce on bottom layer. Top with 1 cup of whipped cream. Repeat the layers - cake, sauce, cream. Top & ice cake with remaining cream. Drizzle remaining caramel over the top. Decorate with pecans, if desired.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

~~~~~

So, what are you doing with your extra day? I'm planning for my husband's birthday tomorrow. 

Happy early birthday to him!!

Enjoy your day!

Check out these great parties I link up to!

This recipe featured on:

Girly Rag Wreath (a.k.a. The Never Ending Project)

  Have you ever started a project thinking it would be pretty straightforward & relatively easy only to be proven so wrong? This wreath was that project for me. 

  Before Valentine's Day, I was going through my craft cache, determined to use up some of the supplies I had on hand before purchasing anything new. I had several fat quarters of fabric that I bought a couple years ago thinking I would make some fabric flowers & scrapbooking embellishments. I did make a few, but had lots of fabric left over... especially a lot of pink. Great for a Valentine's project, right?

  After seeing some pretty rag wreaths on Etsy, I figured I could make one fairly easily. 

  Easy? Yes. 

  Fast? No!

  A disclaimer: If I had a rotary fabric cutter & mat, that would have made a massive difference. Alas, I cut all these fabric strips with my craft scissors. I would definitely recommend using a rotary cutter.

Now, on to the tutorial. 

Supplies:

4 & 1/2 fat quarters of fabric

wire hanger

Tools:

Pliers

Ruler

Scissors or rotary cutter & mat

I used a wire coat hanger as the round form. Take the hanger & bend it into a circle. 

Using a pair of wire cutting pliers (lineman pliers, according to my husband), cut off the hook.

Form wire into a connecting hook.

Cut fabric into one inch wide strips, into a few different lengths. I did 4, 5, & 6 inches.

I wanted the fabric to have frayed edges, so after it was cut I washed it in the washing machine to achieve that. Then it needed to be ironed & the loose threads cut off. This took a few hours.  

At last! Ready to make the wreath. 

Start tying, alternating the fabrics & lengths. I just had my fabrics stacked randomly by pattern, as you can see in the photo above.

Finished! Ta-da!

I have it happily displayed in my craft room.

I love it even though it took so long to make.

Thanks for reading!

Enjoy your day!

Check out the great parties I link up to!

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